Poultry Contracts; Initiation, Performance, and Termination

The Department of Agriculture's Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) is amending the regulations issued under the Packers and Stockyards P&S Act, 1921, as amended, (7 U.S.C. 181 et seq.) (P&S Act) regarding the records that live poultry dealers must furnish poultry growers, including requirements for the timing and contents of poultry growing arrangements. The amendments to the regulations will require that live poultry dealers timely deliver a copy of an offered poultry growing arrangement to growers; include information about any Performance Improvement Plans (PIP) in poultry growing arrangements; include provisions for written termination notices in poultry growing arrangements; and notwithstanding a confidentiality provision, allow growers to discuss the terms of poultry growing arrangements with designated individuals.